Judaism
This foundational belief, which distinguished the ancient Hebrews from most of their neighbors, is the concept of worshiping only one God.
What is monotheism?
This central figure of Christianity, born in Judea during the Roman Empire, is believed by Christians to be the Son of God and the Messiah
Who is Jesus of Nazareth?
Muslims believe this man, a merchant from Mecca, to be the final and greatest prophet, who received the divine revelations from God via the angel Gabriel.
Who is Muhammad?
This individual born as an Indian prince who renounced his wealth to seek an end to suffering and became known as the "Enlightened One."
Who is Siddhartha Gautama?
Unlike most major world religions, Hinduism is notable for not having one of these.
What is a single founder?
Legalists believed a ruler must use the "Two Handles" to govern effectively: this, for obedience, and this, for disobedience.
What are rewards and punishments?
This figure lived during the Warring States Period and is the foundational philosopher of Confucianism.
Who is Confucius?
This "Old Master" is the legendary figure traditionally credited with founding Daoism and writing its central text.
Who is Laozi (or Lao-tzu)?
This Persian prophet founded Zoroastrianism, one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions.
Who is Zoroaster (or Zarathustra)?
This figure is considered the "father" or patriarch of the Hebrew people, having made the first covenant with God (Yahweh).
Who is Abraham?
This core Christian doctrine holds that God is one God who exists as three co-equal and co-eternal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
What is the Trinity?
This is the sacred scripture of Islam, believed to be the literal word of God as revealed to Muhammad.
What is the Quran (or Qur'an)?
In Buddhism, this is the ultimate goal: a state of "extinguishing" desire, leading to the end of suffering and the release from the cycle of rebirth.
What is Nirvana?
This is the ancient collection of sacred texts, written in Sanskrit, that are the oldest scriptures of Hinduism and contain hymns, philosophy, and rituals.
What are the Vedas?
This dynasty, led by Shi Huangdi, ruthlessly unified China and adopted Legalism as its official state philosophy.
What is the Qin Dynasty?
This collection of Confucius's sayings, aphorisms, and conversations with his disciples forms the central text of his philosophy.
What are the Analects?
This is the foundational text of Daoism, a collection of enigmatic verses attributed to Laozi that describe the nature of the Dao.
What is the Tao Te Ching?
Zoroastrians believe in one supreme, creator god, whose name means "Wise Lord."
Who is Ahura Mazda?
The first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), which contain the core laws and origin stories of the Jewish people.
What is the Torah?
Roman Emperor Constantine issued this edict in 313 CE, granting religious toleration that effectively ended the persecution of Christians and allowed the faith to spread.
Edict of Milan
These foundational duties include the declaration of faith (Shahada), daily prayer (Salat), charity (Zakat), fasting during Ramadan (Sawm), and pilgrimage (Hajj)
What are the Five Pillars of Islam?
The core doctrine of Buddhism, these explain the nature of suffering, its cause (desire), its cessation, and the path to achieve that cessation
What are the Four Noble Truths?
This is the concept of the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, which individuals seek to escape.
What is Samsara?
This man is considered the most prominent Legalist philosopher; his writings were compiled in a book bearing his name.
Who is Han Feizi (or Han Fei)?
This virtue, central to Confucianism, emphasizes respect and obedience to one's parents, elders, and ancestors.
What is Filial Piety (or Xiao)?
Unlike Confucianism's focus on social hierarchy, Daoism emphasizes living in harmony with this.
What is nature?
This is the primary collection of sacred texts in Zoroastrianism, which includes the hymns or Gathas attributed to Zoroaster.
What is the Avesta?
A term for the forced dispersal of Jewish people from their traditional homeland, a recurring theme in Jewish history that led to the establishment of communities across the Middle East, Europe, and beyond.
What is the Diaspora?
This major division in 1054 CE split Christianity into two separate churches what are their names?
What is the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the East.
This migration in 622 CE saw Muhammad and his followers leave Mecca for Medina, an event that marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar
What is the Hijrah (or Hegira)?
This is the "Middle Way" prescribed by the Buddha; it's a practical guide of 8 steps (like Right View and Right Mindfulness) to end suffering.
What is the Eightfold Path?
This term refers to the rigid, hereditary social hierarchy in traditional Hindu society, which placed people into classes like Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.
What is the Caste System?
Legalism rejected the Confucian idea of ruling by De (virtue), arguing instead that the only way to maintain order was through a strict, impartial system of this.
What are laws (or Fa)?
Confucianism outlines these societal pairings, such as ruler-subject and father-son, which define social order through a hierarchy of mutual obligation.
What are the Five Relationships?
This Daoist concept represents the dualistic nature of the universe (e.g., light/dark, male/female, active/passive), which must be kept in balance.
What is Yin and Yang?
This natural element is central to Zoroastrian worship as a symbol of Ahura Mazda's purity and wisdom.
What is fire?
This historical event, beginning in 586 BCE with the Neo-Babylonian conquest, marked the first major scattering of the Jewish people from their homeland in Judea.
What is the Babylonian Captivity (or Babylonian Exile)?
Started by Martin Luther in 1517, this movement challenged the authority of the Catholic Pope and led to the creation of new branches of Christianity, based on the principle of salvation by "faith alone."
What is the Protestant Reformation?
This Arabic term refers to the worldwide community of all Muslims, bound together by their shared faith, transcending tribal, ethnic, or national identities.
What is the Ummah?
Buddhism has four major sects with two being by far the most predominant. They are refereed to as the "Great Vehicle" and the "Small Vehicle" what are their names?
Great Vehicle is Mahayana Buddhism
Small Vehicle is Theravada Buddhism
The three principal deities of the Hindu pantheon: this creator god, this preserver god, and this destroyer god.
Who are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva?
This infamous Qin chancellor and follower of Legalism advised Shi Huangdi to burn books and suppress all intellectual dissent, particularly from Confucians.
Who is Li Si?
This system, institutionalized by the Han, required scholar-officials to pass rigorous tests based on Confucian texts to gain government positions.
What is the Civil Service Exam?
This core Daoist principle translates to "non-action" or "effortless action," advocating for disengagement from worldly striving and aligning oneself with the Dao.
What is Wu Wei?
This core ethical principle of Zoroastrianism is the simple creed that followers are expected to live by.
What are "Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds"?